


How the Golden Boy Fell

by justanotherfangirlwriting



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, F/M, Gen, M/M, Major life change, POV Multiple, Tags May Change, that no one asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:06:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25760311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherfangirlwriting/pseuds/justanotherfangirlwriting
Summary: Jace Herondale navigates through his life as a newly turned werewolf. But with his extra angelic blood, some of his Nephilim attributes stayed, like his golden eyes, which makes him even more of a target.He never thought it would happen to him, he was trained his whole life to be this warrior for the clave to be a fighter. Half Angel and Half human. Now he wasn't half Angel anymore.Knowing he can't stay in New York Jace leaves, only to come back a few years later with a better understanding of his life. But will things still be the same?  Or will things be different?
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Jace Wayland & Everyone, Jordan Kyle & Jace Wayland, Jordan Kyle/Maia Roberts, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Maia Roberts/Jace Wayland, Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood
Comments: 6
Kudos: 10





	1. Beginning/End

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Jace story at its core, I have no plot progression minus Jace becoming a wolf.
> 
> This work is unbeta'd so there will be a lot of errors and mistakes. If I spot any I will fix them, if you spot any please tell me.
> 
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments.

If you asked Maia what she would be doing on a regular Saturday evening she would have answered one of the following: watching tv with Bat and Laurie, help the pack with the renovations they were doing to the restaurant, maybe go for a rooftop run, things along those lines. She would definitely _not_ have answered patching up Jace Herondale from a big scratch wound that would soon change his life forever.

The evening started out normal enough, she was coming back from the monthly Downworld Alliance meeting at the Jade Wolf and she was planning on having an early night since the meeting really took its toll on her. The Shadow World may have been saved from Jonathan but there were still a lot of monsters out there and with the realm of Edom destroyed the warlocks told them that the other hell realms moved closer to their dimension and more demons from those dimensions would soon find their way here. So Maia was focused on that revelation that the shocked she received when she saw Jace was something that stopped her in her tracks.

Maia's never seen so much blood on one person—that was still, you know, alive. But when she saw him with his clothes torn and dried blood down his neck and covering his shirt, she was shocked. Maia didn't even realize that she started to walk towards him.

"Jace, what the hell?" His eyes were so hallowed and dull, not the blue she was used to, there was no spark in it, no mischievous glint it got when he was about to say something that would usually make her roll her eyes—granted ever since Clary has been taken away from the Shadow World that spark was dulled already.

If she were, to be honest, she didn't know where Jace had gone all those months, it's only been 6 months, this was the first time she'd seen him.

"Oh my god," her voice came out as a whisper when she saw the wound, she wasn't exactly a soft person, but her voice came out small like if she spoke any louder she would startle a wounded kid. But he spoke after a minute of her looking at him.

"I didn't know where to go," he winced, he was holding himself up by leaning on the wall—they were not exactly by the restaurant yet so they were hidden from the wolves who were probably wrapping up the days work.

She didn't know what to do, but she got herself together and went up to him and pulled him off the wall he winced but didn't fight her.

"Okay, we need to get you help, I'll call Luke." She pulled out her phone but Jace snatched it away from her.

"Don't call Luke, don't call anyone." He slumped down, he was definitely about to pass out, he was so stubborn he'd rather bleed out than get help.

"Come on, you need to get cleaned up."

She had to do something, normally she wouldn't know if the scratch was affecting him, but Shadowhunters were different if they lose their marks it meant they were going to become wolves. It was dark but she could see that there were no marks visible on him.

Maia took him to Simon's boathouse—well it was her's now, Simon said she could have it after he left. She turned the lights on and brought Jace over to her couch, once he was down she looked for her first aid kit, though if he was becoming a wolf he would be healing now, slowly but healing, she turned and saw him nearly passing out, she cursed under her breath and rushed over to him.

"Jace wake up!" She slapped him which got him to open his eyes. She sat him up and took off his jacket which was soaked in his blood. He groaned loudly, Maia whispered an apology,

"I'm sorry but I need to clean your wound, you're healing so that's good, but I can't see anything with all this blood." she was interrupted by Jace's phone, it was the 4th time she's heard it ring.

"You should answer, they might think you're dead."

"They know I'm alive. Alec— he felt our bond break, but not fade, at least on his body, so he knows I'm alive."

"He's in New York?" She asked, Alec, moved to Idris a few months after Clary, maybe that's where Jace went, she's been to Idris once and it was enough to see who the shadowhunters who lived there loved it so much—Alec had accepted the inquisitor position he was offered a while ago, at least that's what she heard from Simon.

"Alec would know something happened." Maia didn't know how his bond worked with Alec and she didn't ask,

Jace probably had so many questions going around his head her asking her own questions wouldn't help. Since calling anyone was apparently out of the picture, Maia decided she would first clean his wounds.

After she had finally gotten his shirt off—she just cut it with scissors, she saw how big the wound was

"Fuck," It was big, spanning from his left shoulder blade down his chest. Whoever did this wanted to do this, that was a whole other issue they would have to face, it was on purpose. For what? Maia didn't know. But knowing who Jace is it was probably for what happened with the sword or maybe even because of who he is and who his family is, maybe whoever did it didn't care and just wanted to attack a Shadowhunter.

Maia gets to cleaning his chest, he winced a bit but other than that he was perfectly still. She dunks the towel rag into the bucket and wipes the blood off Jace, who just went back to staring at nothing. She liked it that way, it gave her time to think. As she got the blood off, she notices the wound was closing, though she knew it would scar, permanently destroying who he was. She knew it's harder for him, after how he was raised—becoming a Downworlder is not an easy feat, for anyone, but for a Nephilim? She couldn't imagine what it did to them, psychologically— physically. She saw it in Luke when he was around the Shadowhunters. That longing of that life, but it's usually for a minute then he's back—she was happy that Luke got his old life back but she was also upset that he wasn't here to help her anymore. Everything was on her and while she knew Luke would always help her when she needed it she knew it would never be the same. He had a life with Maryse now he had a job with the Institute.

After she was done, to ease the tension that somehow formed she said, "well at least they didn't get your face. Because let's be real, that's all you've got."

She didn't get the reaction she was hoping for, but she did see his face twitch like he was fighting a smile.

She went to her closet and got a shirt from it. She didn't know who it was, the wolves usually just leave clothes around, but it would have to do.

"It's the only Male shirt I have that's clean."

"You can shower if you want, it's through there." Jace nodded and picked up the shirt. She'll look for some pants for him later, but first, she'll make up the couch. She knows he wouldn't be going home soon. He left his phone on the chair, she looked at it and it was Alec calling. She wanted to pick it up to ease his worry, but what was she going to say?

_"Sorry Jace can't talk right now, he's recently got scratch and is now not a Shadowhunter."_

She sighed and let it go to voicemail, 12 missed calls from Alec it said, and 9 from Isabelle, even two from Simon.

 _Simon_. She could ask him to come and talk to him. He knows what it's like to become a downworlder, plus he was more of a recent turn than her's was, also she didn't know what to say to Jace right now, she got her phone when the shower stopped. She put her phone back into her pocket and finish making the couch. She got a pillow from her bed and a spare blanket from the trunk/coffee table. Jace seemed to be taking his time in the bathroom, she listened and he wasn't saying anything, just breathing heavily. But he wasn't panicking. Because panicking leads to involuntarily changing before the full moon, which was 3 days away, she hopes Luke would be back by then.

She needed to get him some food, he would definitely be hungry, she remembers how she was after she was scratched, she didn't know why maybe it was because of all the adrenaline pumping in her or maybe it was the total shock. But all she knew was she ate everything in her parents' fridge.

She went through the back of the restaurant where she ran into Bat.

"Hey, where have you been? We just finished up painting the walls, I got Laurie to save you a box of pizza, those cabinet meetings never have good food."

"Yeah, sorry I went straight to the boathouse. I had to drop something off."

"Ah, so you're just using us for food?" Bat said smiling,

Maia smiled, "Yeah something like that."

"Well you better hurry, I don't know how long Laurie will be able to resist.

Bat shook his head. "Simon called, Russell picked up he said that Simon wanted to know if we've seen Jace?"

"What?" She acted surprised, but not really, of course, Alec would ask for all the manpower to find Jace.

"Yeah, that's what I heard from Russell."

"Yeah well, Russell isn't so reliable when it comes to the Shadowhunters."

"True, but apparently Simon sounded worried" What Maia loved about Bat is that he doesn't ask too many questions. He trusts her call as alpha she was due to pick a second soon and while the older wolves would have other opinions she would like Bat to be that second but for now, she had to deal with Jace.

Maia said goodbye to Bat and went to the kitchen and grabbed some food and ran back to the boathouse you do not want to leave an emotional and transitioning new wolf alone for too long. Especially if that Wolf is well versed in the knowledge of weapons.


	2. Afterthoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a Jace story at its core, I have no plot progression minus Jace becoming a wolf.
> 
> This work is unbeta'd so there will be a lot of errors and mistakes. If I spot any I will fix them, if you spot any please tell me.
> 
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments.

_Shock, Frustration and Angry_ was all Jace felt the moment he woke up in Bryant Park an hour ago—it felt like days but Jace knew that it was just a few hours since he left for patrol, since he found a bunch Selki's drunk on whatever faerie drink they were drinking as he escorted them back to their ponds and puddles before walking through the park since he had a few hours to kill before he had to do his first check in, stupid choice—Jace blinked the memory away, it was still too much.

He stayed in the shower even after all the blood and dirt washed off his skin that Maia didn't get. He just stands there until the water starts to grow cold and the blood goes down the drain leaving the water clear and soapy. He hears Maia walking around outside the bathroom then she says she's going to get food so he gets out—he can’t stay in here forever he thought, Jace stands in front of the mirror he looked at his blank skin and he wanted to scream, curse everything—it's be a hell of a year and this was just the icing on it. He punches the mirror, he didn’t care his wound was already healing anyway.

Through the shattered glass he looks at himself—he was still him, but he wasn’t whole, he couldn’t feel Alec anymore, he couldn’t feel the new runes that were just drawn on him early today, all he felt was burning—every inch of his body felt like it was on fire. This has been the first time since he got his first rune that his skin was blank, the only visible thing was the huge mark the ran up his chest.

His hands hovered over the mark, it was healing, but it was still pink and raw, if Jace dug his nails into the wound, it would bleed again, but he didn't—it was too real and too in his face, reminding him of what he wasn't and what he was going to be. He puts on the shirt Maia gave him, it was a little tight but it was fine and better than his bloody torn one. Maia said that she found some pants in one of the trunks for him and left it on the couch, before she left.He didn't want to say anything earlier but his senses have been more heightened and he still didn't know how to control it and her perfume, which normally smelt nice, like a spice shop mixed with something he could never identify, but now he knows it was the ocean, was making him nauseous.

The fluorescent light in the boathouse were hurting his eyes as well, he didn't know which was worse, all the new the smells or how everything seemed to be brighter even at night—though when he started to relax it was definitely his new found sense of smell. He remembers when he was younger when he had panic attacks, Valentine never liked seeing him show weakness so Jace learned how to calm himself. He learned the hard way but he learned, so he did the techniques he use to do—focus, focus on anything, he squeezed his fist he realized a shard of glass was in the palm of his hand, he squeezed it, focus on that, calm down, he tells himself. Slowly it worked and everything was becoming duller and human passing. Jace scoffs, what passed for human anyway?

The first thing he got the hang of was his hearing, he hears Maia open the door. She had food with her, he can hear it moving around in the bags, plus the smell was quite strong, so even if he didn't have supernatural senses he would have smelt the moo shu pork and fried rice when she entered the boathouse as he left the bathroom.

"You're looking better." She says as she enters the boathouse. She walks to her kitchen and drops the stuff on the table, the boathouse was homier than when Simon lived here Jace noticed. Maia added a proper kitchen area, and living room—or at least a couch, there were bookshelves filled with books on marine life. In the middle of the room, where he was standing, was a U-shaped couch behind the couch was her bed, Jace tries not to think back to their week together. It was a particularly bad week for both of them and sex was always a welcome distraction. He's never seen her old place though, they holed up at a friend of Maia's apartment, who was out of town. So being in her personal space was weird, but also the scent, her scent, was the only thing that was familiar to him, even if he was only noticing it for the first time.

"You should eat, I'm pretty sure you're starving right now." She was right, the last time he ate was before he left for patrol. He tried to piece the attack together but it seems like he was blocking it out. The last thing he remembers is waking up in the park covered in blood and feeling something off and everything in him ache.

He picked up the pork and shrimp and started to eat. Maia just watched him and didn't push him to talk. But aftera few moments of silence, Maia spoke,

"Simon called, he wanted to know if we've seen you."

Jace froze, his phone has been ringing nonstop he finally just shuts it off. “You didn’t say anything did you?” Maia shakes her head,

"Jace you can't exactly stay hidden in the boathouse, the wolves will smell something off. Plus with the full moon just being 3 nights away—,"

Jace felt himself lose control of his emotions. Maia seems to have sense it, because she stood up and handed him a drink, god he needed something stronger than beer, but he took it anyway.

"It'll help, it's a special brew that one of our wolves made for newly turned wolves. You'll get angry Jace. At yourself, at the wolf who did this to you, at the world. But it's normal. You can yell all you want. Scream how it's not fair, but it won't change anything. But talking to Luke might help, I know he's not a wolf anymore but he knows what you're going through."

"I just can't—not now,” everyone was doing better they all found their place after Jonathan. He didn’t need to burden them with this worry, Jace knew eventually he would have to face them, especially Alec but right now he couldn’t.

Maia nodded, "I wasn't expecting you too,” Maia gets up and takes the empty containers away before putting on her jacket.”

"Where are you going?" He asked

"I'm going for a run."

She was a bad liar but Jace doesn't call her out on it. He was tired and everything in him was fighting itself. Like his enhanced angelic blood was fighting off the demonic illness and he didn't know which side was winning. Jace was out like a light by the time Maia finished cleaning up.

The last thing he heard was the boathouse closing and Maia turning, he wonders if it would ever be that easy for him.


	3. Parabatai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the title suggests this is all about that bond that kills me every time I write breaking it or read someone breaking it. Enjoy that sadness and angst, some much needed heart to heart (I guess)
> 
> This work will be mainly Jace’s POV with a sprinkle of other characters—this chapter is Alec’s Pov.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is not beta read so there are going to be some grammatical errors. I will fix them when I see them (or someone points them out).

The first time Alec felt his bond with Jace break he felt like he was being ripped apart from a piece of him and he never wanted to feel that pain ever again, but this time was different—their mark was still on him. But it was faded and it felt wrong, Alec knew what happened the moment he felt it happen, if it wasn't for Magnus Alec would have collapse in the middle of the Angel square. He had them portalled back to New York not a minute later. Isabelle saw how he looked and she went to soldier mode.

She asked him what was wrong, he couldn't speak and just showed her—his faded rune. Her hand tightened on him,

"By the Angel, I knew something was wrong. Jace went on patrol this afternoon and he missed his check in."

Alec knew it was a mistake allowing Jace to come back so soon, when Alec accepted the job as inquisitor his first thought was Jace, he was still healing from Clary and Alec didn't want to leave him alone. So he asked Jace to come to Idris with him and Magnus—who was offered a job as high warlock for Alicante, at least for a while so he could be away from New York. They had a lot of work to do to bridge the riff thousands of years made with the Downworld and recently Jonathan, but Alec had good people with him.

Jace was doing better, Alec could still feel his sadness but it wasn't overwhelming anymore. So when Jace told him he was going home Alec had some concerns to which Jace just smiled,

"Alec I'm not made for all this politics. New York is where I'm needed, I know what you've been doing and I appreciate it but I can take it."

Now Alec was kicking himself, everyone was working around him and he felt numb to it all. No one asked him to say or do anything until he was ready. He barely reacted when his mother and Luke arrived, his mother—strong and tough and everything, looked like she was about to tear into whoever did this.

"Mom-," he barely finished his sentence when she came to hug him, whispering words that sounded like nothing but sweet kindness, his mother wasn't soft but whenever they needed her to be she would.

"Your dad and Max are out with Underhill's team and are searching for Jace."

He didn't even know his dad and Max were in town, but Isabelle probably called them.

"He's not dead mom, he's alive—he's just not,"

"Shh, it doesn't matter we will find him." He watched Luke from where he was standing talking to Isabelle. It took him a while to get use to seeing Luke with marks on him—from where Alec sat he could see just barely make out Luke's faded parabatai rune, Luke's eyes met his—those were the eyes of someone who knows what Alec is feeling right now, as much of a monster Valentine was, being someone's parabatai was something strong even when broken. Alec could never look at a faded parabatai mark and not feel an ache for that person who lost half of them. When they told the Downworld that Valentine was dead he watched the look torn look in Luke's eyes, hatred and relief mixed with loss and pain.

They were in a middle of a plan when Maia barged into the office with Simon and Jordan at her heel.

"Maia what's wrong?" Luke asked, she shakes her head,

"Nothing, Simon called and said Jace was missing," her eyes found Alec's

"I know where Jace is," Alec nearly jumped out of where Magnus had him seated,

"What? Where is he?" He asked, she shakes her head "he's fine he needs a minute. He doesn't know I'm here but I thought I would let you know he's not dead."

"Well of course he's not dead! I would know if he was!" He didn't mean to yell, Maia didn't jump she wasn't even faze by his anger,

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-why can't we see him?"

She shakes her head, "He's turning," Alec was knocked back, he knew it was a possibility it was honestly the only explanation but hearing it was another thing. Maia looked at Luke, "he needs help, I don't know how to coax him to the change. Nephilim going through the change is new to me, mundanes I can handle but-,"

"Say no more Maia, I'll go see him tomorrow." Like turns and comes up to Alec. He makes him look at him, stern and understanding he places a hand on the back of Alec's neck,

"Jace is going to be fine, I'll help him—I know what he's going through. I can talk to you to about—about everything if you want, but you should talk to your dad, he can help."

Alec tilted his head, his dad? He looked at his mom she had a look in her eyes, that she always had when she is holding something back but she nods, his dad never really talked about his life sometime Alec thinks he doesn't know how to open up.

—

Alec's relationship with his father was never great, growing up all he wanted to do was make his parents proud. They always seemed to have the weight of everything on them, he didn't know why when he was a kid but when he realized what happened he kind of understood. His father was never affectionate with him like he was with Isabelle or even Max but Alec knew his father loved him—in his own way. His parents were better now than they were ever before and as a family they all grew for the better. But there was still so much he didn't get about his dad and what his mom and Luke said about talking to his father confused him a lot.

Alec found him in the armory, his dad didn't go out on missions a lot he was more of a diplomat. His mom said the two of them did their share of fighting and missions when they were younger.

"did you guys find anything?" Alec asked when his father turned and saw him, he looked tired,

"We found blood, and a sign of a fight but your mother said that Jace was okay—," Robert stopped and looked at him,

"how are you doing?"

Alec didn't know how to do this with his father, heart to heart wasn't their forte, they talked missions and strategies, and occasionally checked in on each other.

Alec's hand automatically went to his abdomen, "now that I know he's alive, better. Mom told me to come talk to you, about what's going on, why?"

His father swallowed and sighed, he sat down on the bench and motioned for Alec to sit.

"Because the feeling you feel right now? Is something I'm all too familiar with," it took Alec a minute before catching on,

"You had a parabatai?" He asked in shock,

"You ever wondered why Jace was sent to us? Why I agreed to take him in?"

"The man Valentine pretended to be all those years—Michael Wayland," when he said the name his voice wavered

"He was your parabatai?" Alec asked, his father nods

"After the uprising when you mother and me were about to be exiled my parabatai rune with Michael broke, I thought that was the reason but it was really because of his death I knew it felt too painful to just be broken by separation, I just didn't know at the time."

"How come you never talk about him?" Alec wanted to know more, he never knew why his dad agreed to take Jace in but it made sense now, why he wanted to be the one to bring Jace home, why he was so hyper focus on Jace when they were growing up, it made sense even if it wasn't the truth. The truth was Valentine killed Michael Wayland and they both knew that.

"Michael is a difficult topic for me, losing him was hard and the worse part? I lost him long before I was exiled."

His dad stopped talking for a while, Alec just watched his face, "My point is, losing your bond with Jace isn't easy but at least Jace is still alive. The parabatai ceremony is something wee choose to do with someone we can't live without. Someone we trust with our life, we choose to bind ourselves to that person, but here's the thing, even if we didn't we would still be there for them won't we? We love them enough to bind our souls together that even if we didn't have this ritual we would still be there for them. Well that's what you and Jace will be from now on, mark or no mark Jace is still Jace. Be thankful that he's alive, that he's still here."

Then Alec saw it, that same look he was all too familiar with, "when did he tell you?"

His dad gave him a small smile—heartbroken, "when it was too late, I guess." His father patted his shoulder before getting up,

"I could have never loved him the way he loved me. But I did love him—more than myself, I just didn't show it. Your mother—she helped me a lot after Michael, she never had a parabatai but she loved Michael as much as she would love a brother she never knew the reason we fell apart but she understood."


	4. Learning how to Focus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This work is not beta read so there are going to be some grammatical errors. I will fix them when I see them (or someone points them out).

**_Jace wasn’t new to nightmares_** he’s had them constantly since he was a child, then again when he was possessed, Valentine wasn't exactly the caring type so Jace learned how to wake himself up from them and soothe himself until he could fall back into a restless sleep. But the nightmare that woke up was something he couldn't get himself out of, it was only when the door slid open and Maia accidentally slammed it that he woke up—sweating and breathing hard.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Maia took a look at him, "what's wrong?"

He shakes his head, "nightmare, where'd you go?"

Jace knew where she went, he could smell it on her, Alec's fear and worry—he didn't have to be bound to Alec to know that, he could also make out Isabelle and Simon's scent. He knew Maia could see he was putting things together because she took off her jacket and headed for the bathroom.

The next time Jace woke up it's to the smell of bacon—lots of it, he found that he threw the blanket he had on the floor sometime in the night and that he was almost falling off the couch. He sat up, his eyes adjusted to the light,

"This is going to be a problem." He said, his right shoulder was still sore and so was his chest that when he stretched he winced. Maia opened a window allowing the smell of bacon to spread out a bit so it wasn't attacking Jace's senses. He actually found that he liked the sound of the water, especially in the morning. Last night he fell asleep to the waves outside the window.

"Try focusing your senses on one thing. I know it gets to be too much, especially when you're new, but it helps if you know how to focus on.”

"So..." Maia turned back to her kitchen and grabbed him a plate of food.

"focus on something other than the food." She says sitting across from him on a beat down red leather chair.

She watches Jace as he does what she said when Luke first taught Maia how to hone her abilities it took her weeks. But Jace seemed to be getting the hang of it quicker than any of the werewolves she's known and seen through the change.

"You're using new perfume." He said, Maia made a surprised sound, she didn't think he'd hone in on her. But then she smiled and said "okay now focus on the restaurant"

Jace started to describes the workers taking apart the place, "how long have they been here?"

" since 7, I want to finish the place by next week. I should have expected you would excel at this."

Jace gave her a smile and a small chuckle, it was the first smile she's seen since this happened, but as fast as it appeared the quicker it fell.

"Did it hurt? The first time you changed?"

Maia's face went still, she didn't want to sugarcoat things for him, she knew he could take the truth so she gave it to him, she told him how she felt her bones break and heal over and over again how her body shifted and snapped. How your skin grows hair everywhere and how you feel your spine contort. Jace didn't flinch, usually details like this freak the new wolves out. But she guesses that he wants to be prepared. She knows he can handle pain, but this isn't like any pain he's felt before.

"Luke will be coming over today. Just Luke, no one else." She added so he wouldn't freak out.

"Luke can help you out because he's been where you are."

Jace knows Luke would probably be the only one who truly understood. Going from Nephilim to a Downworlder how different things were and what you had to relearn. But the thing was, Luke wasn't a werewolf anymore. He didn't know how to be around Luke right now he was afraid he might hurt him even though Luke is a skilled shadowhunter and moves like he was still a wolf—with swiftness.

"Go shower, I'll clean up after Luke gets here we'll talk to the back."

Maia said before she picked up their plates and headed for her kitchen. Jace picked up his phone, calling them was out of the question for now. But he sent them a group text

"I'm fine."

His fingers roamed the keypad trying to type more but he didn't know what else to say so he just hit send then added,

"I'll see you guys in a few days. I just need to wrap my head around a few things."

He tucks his phone away in his jacket and then went to the bathroom. He was very sweaty, his body was still adjusting to a lot of things but something was different. He looked into the mirror, his eyes, were starting to glow gold then back to its regular blue. It did it a few times before his body cooled down a bit. He hopped into the shower and put the water on cold, he hardly felt the cold water.

-

While Jace was in the shower Maia texted Luke that he was awake already and that he should drop by soon. Luke texted her back that he was on his way.

Jace exited the bathroom only wearing a towel around his waist, Maia wasn’t a prude in fact she was use to people being barely clothed around her but Jace was a different story.

“Herondale put on some clothes!” God she wished Luke would get here already so she didn’t have to deal with Jace and his amused smiled,

The knock-on her door was a welcomed timing. She knew it was Luke because only he ever knocks. He and Bat were the only ones to ever come here, everyone else usually stays in the warehouse behind the pier where they turned into a den of a sort. They all lived there mostly if they didn't have homes anymore. Usually, it's just the younger Wolves, but there were some adults there too. It's cheaper than New York City rent she can tell you that.

Jace follows her, as she opened the door a figure entered quickly and went to Jace taking him back a bit. It was Maryse, she hugged Jace tightly, after getting over his shock he hugged her back. Melting into his adoptive mother's arms, taking in the comforting feeling. He didn't even seem to mind that she was here, his head was buried in her shoulder, her dark hair covering his face, he looked so fragile, and that wasn't a word Maia would normally associate with Jace Herondale. Maryse was stroking his hair and whispering words of reassurance, some words were not in English, maybe French, she thought.

"I managed to convince everyone else to stay back for a while. Alec was harder but I made him focus on why a wolf would attack Jace. Isabelle's being kept at bay by Simon, but Maryse was the only one I couldn't convince to stay behind." He said to Jace when his eyes met his. Jace didn't seem to care because he didn't let go of Maryse who was looking over him.

"Are you okay?" She asked Jace gave her a small nod. But she didn't believe him because her hands went to his face making him look at her.

"Jace..." She warned.

"I'm doing better than I was last night." He said honestly, taking her hands in his. She still didn't look like she believed him, but for now, she left it alone.

"How's Alec and everyone?"

"Alec is... better. He knows your alive." Luke was the one who replied. Jace wanted to see his family, but he was afraid. He didn't know what would happen. But he mainly didn't want to see them as who he is right now.

"After the full moon, you can go see them." Luke tells him, Luke took out a stele and activated a rune behind his ear, Maia got used to all this shadowhunter stuff with Luke pretty quickly since he's the liaison to the wolves and shadowhunters of New York, but she couldn't say it wasn't odd, but she was not familiar on every rune.

"Has anyone mentioned this to the Clave yet?" Jace asked, his stomach twisting a bit. The Clave had rules, serious ones, he wouldn't be allowed to live in the institute anymore, which was one of his biggest worries. Where was he going to go? He didn't think Maia would like for him to stay on her couch forever. And he knows the other werewolves aren't his biggest fan.

"Not yet. I wanted to see you first. I'm not allowed to talk to the Clave but Alec will brief them tonight once we get back."

They all made their way to the couch. Maryse and Jace sat down on the couch while Luke and Maia sat on the chairs. Luke looked at Jace, from what he could see Jace was healing rather quickly, even for a werewolf. Maryse seemed to notice it too, but what she was focused on was her son's bare skin. She probably never thought that she would see Jace like this. Jace was probably the poster child of what a Shadowhunter was, Maia never expected this, none of them did, but yet it happened.

"Jace you don't have to worry about anything. I will talk to the pack, I may not be a wolf anymore but they'll listen to me—to Maia."

"Thanks, but I don't think I want to stay here, looking over my back all the time is hard enough with the demons. Imagine a pack of wolves who would like to see my head on a silver platter."

"Not all of them," Maia tells him, she wasn't going to lie and say what he said wasn't true.

"If not you can stay with me, I just bought a brownstone a few blocks from the Institute. I made sure I had enough room for all my kids." Jace just smiled at his mom, Maia wanted to roll her eyes at how Maryse Lightwood, ex angelic soldier, could pay for a Brownstone in the heart of Manhattan. But then again Shadowhunters did come from old money so she also wasn't surprised she could afford the place she did think he would feel much more at home with his mother.

"We have a few things to talk about Jace, but we can do that later. Maia and I will go talk to the pack." Jace didn't say anything as they left he looked at his mom who was telling him that Isabelle and Alec have sent out people to investigate.


	5. Breaking it to the Pack

It had been a while since Luke's been at the Jade Wolf—or Taki's as Maia is rebranding the restaurant, he's proud of her and how she's using her status as alpha to bring the Downworld together and that's by creating a place where everyone can just be them, sure they have the Hunter's Moon but even that's more of a wolf hang and only those few Downworlders who know about go, Taki's is Maia's goal. 

Luke's also been focus on keeping an eye on Clary—from a distance, and finding his place back in Alicante, at the Institute, that the pack was in the back of his head, which he kind of liked or else he would be thinking about them until he couldn't sleep. Maia's been doing her best to not ask him questions, to trust her gut and her pack, but Luke sees as she paces while they wait for everyone to show up that she was still young. She had a lot to learn that a previous alpha could have helped her with and he did his best but he gave his alpha role to her long before he became a shadowhunter again.

"Maia, my hearing may not be as good as it was but I can hear your heartbeat." He activated his audio enhancement rune earlier so he could hear if the pack was here.

"Jace doesn't exactly have the best history with the pack, Luke. What if they say no? We can't have a lone wolf roaming the streets of New York."

"Then the praetor will step in if they have too."

Luke can see that Maia forgot about the Praetor Lupus for a moment. She relaxed a bit until the pack came in.

"Why'd you call this meeting so early—?" One of the wolves asked, and worse he was Gretel's brother, Liam, he thought Jace was the reason for why Gretel is dead, and why her godfather is dead so it was safe to say he wasn't a fan of Jace.

"Luke! What are you doing here?!" Laurie asked excitedly as she hugged him. Completely the opposite of Liam's tone. Luke turned to Maia he can sense her mood change, she'd keep Jace's name out for as long as she could.

"We have a newly scratched wolf in our midst, he’s with me right now so he'll be safe from the pack and you'll be safe from him. You know how dangerous it is during the days that lead up to the moon." Everyone didn't seem to think anything of that, even though it's not a recurring thing—when they do get newly scratched people now and again, usually, it's by accident, but it hasn't happened in a while. Most of the new wolves they get are children of pack members who naturally inherited the gene from their parents.

"He'll join us after his first full moon. He's a part of our pack now and I don't want to hear anything! You got that?" She raised her voice, not out of anger but so they would listen.

Everyone's attention was on her now, clearly wondering why she was so adamant at this new wolf joining them. Luke looked around, at their confused faces, though some seem to be picking up on what she's saying. The alpha would only make this type of speech if the newly turned was a Nephilim. Werewolves usually have this excitement when a Nephilim gets scratched, for one they didn't have to explain the Downworld to them and another is that usually the Nephilim's would a some resentment to the Clave for kicking them out so they were easily convinced to do something about it, nothing that goes against the accords but usually petty things like stalk the Shadowhunter's that patrol the city at night.

"Before Maia lets you go I want to tell you two things. Some of you may have picked up that the newly scratched is a—was a Nephilim. He was scratched during a patrol and I've seen the wound, it was done purposely." The wolves still listened to Luke even if he was a Shadowhunter again, he didn't need to be alpha for that respect—he's earned it.

"Meaning either there's a rogue wolf in our city that doesn't know the accords, or they intentionally scratched him knowing full well what they have done. You know the accords, turning someone purposely is punishable by Clave law."

"What if the Nephilim killed him? He also broke the accords then!" One wolf yelled from the back,

"Then he'll be handled by the Downworld Coucil and the Clave—like always.”

"Who is this newly turned?" Liam asked, his white hair, that matched Gretel's, tied into a bun, showing off the scar on his neck. That scar always intimidated Maia it was a monstrous thing to look at, she didn't know how he didn't die.

Luke looked at her _I can do it if you want,_ but she was alpha now. She shakes her head she had to make this announcement herself.

"I want him left alone you hear me? Anything that happened before doesn't matter now. And if anyone plans on doing anything they will answer to me! Understood!" They all nodded, though Liam just looked at her. He was Theo's beta before Luke became Alpha so he wasn't too keen on Luke or Maia.

"It's Jace Herondale,” the restaurant exploded in uproar those who were familiar with Jace stood up and started to yell over each other. Jace could probably hear them all the way in the boathouse.

"No way! We are not allowing Herondale into the pack! After what he did! We lost a lot of wolves because of him. His little vampire friend almost paralyzed Glenn." Russell said, others agreed with him.

"Jace didn't know he had the power to activate the sword, he thought he would destroy it because he thought he was Jonathan Morgenstern," Maia said but they were still arguing with her. She felt herself getting annoyed and angry that they were questioning her.

"ENOUGH! We will have the Clave breathing down our throats after they find out what happened to Jace. So we will be willing and help find who turned him. Find the wolf alive! That's an order and he will be left alone, we do not need the Institute coming down on us.”

Maia could tell not a lot of the wolves were 100 percent on board but they didn't argue with her. She looked around once more before heading back to the kitchen area to which Luke followed because she was getting angry stares again because technically Jace was hiding in her house. Luke's phone dinged, for the third time since they arrived.

"Is that Alec?" She asked, who else would it be?

"Yeah he wants to know what's going on, he wants to see Jace."

Maia sighs, she tells him that she's going to check on Jace and Maryse, Luke gives her a small nod before dialing Alec's number.

When Maia got back to her boathouse. She didn't hear any talking, she went in and saw Jace sitting alone on the couch staring at her coffee table/trunk.

"They aren't happy that I'm here." It wasn't a question, and Maia didn't disagree with him.

"Did you expect they would? What would have happened if I wasn't the one who found you?"

"They would have finished the job."

Maia sighed, "You can take them. Besides Luke has your back and they listen to him."

Jace nodded, "do they listen to you?" You’re the alpha now he doesn’t say that last part but she can read subtext like it’s a second language to her.

She shrugs, "I don't back down, the older wolves drag their tails but eventually they do as they're told. The younger ones listen as much as they listen to anyone telling them what to do."

Sometimes she wished she wasn't alpha but she knew this was what she was meant to do. She was meant to be a wolf she never expected she'd be alpha but after Jordan nearly died, Clary losing her memories, then Luke becoming Nephilim again this was the path that was made for her.

"Where's your mom?" she asked moving the subject away from her, Maia half expected Maryse to have convinced Jace to leave with her already.

Jace leaned back and put his hands up to his face, "She went back to the Institute. She wanted to go to Idris with Alec, she won't take no for an answer from him or anyone."

"Your mother is a scary woman," Maia said honestly, she’s had 1 conversation with Maryse 1-on-1 and she wasn’t keen on having another one anytime soon.

"I've never seen Maryse back down from anything once her head is into it."

They fell into a comfortable silence until Luke came in.

"Do you want to get out of here for a while? Go to Hunter's Moon?"

Jace hasn't been anywhere that's part of the Shadow World since this happened. No one knew he wasn't a Shadowhunter anymore, outside the pack and his friends, and maybe the Institute since Maryse said Alec would make the announcement today.

"Jace?" Maia snapped him back to reality.

"You can't stay cooped up here forever. You have to face the wolves, no pun intended."

He knew that, but it was still a lot. Plus there was a risk that he would run into people he knew.

"Don't tell me the great warrior that is Jace Herondale is scared?" Maia said teasingly, knowing it would goad him into going.

Jace's lips moved a bit, Maia noticed, he took the bait, she thought.

"Isn't it a bit too early for drinking?"

"It's 2 in the afternoon, Jace. That's a perfect time.” Luke grinned, “But I'd rather you not drink in your early condition. I need to talk to you anyway. I need you to be sober. Also, I'm pretty sure Maia needs some time to herself."

Jace agreed, he put on his Jacket, it was pretty much okay, maybe some dried blood, but what else was new for him? It was the first time he was out of the boathouse since last night and it was much brighter, which made Jace squint.

Luke noticed and said, "it takes a minute. It's like waking up by a window and sun hits your eyes."

"Yeah, but 10 times brighter." His eyes were now adjusting to the light as they made their way to Luke's truck. As Luke drove away Jace opened the window to feel the city breeze, the car was a bit stuffy, so was Maia's boat house but he opened some of the windows which let the water air come through.

Jace knew he had the worse ahead and things were still new to him and he was still adjusting but as for this moment, he was okay. Which was the first time he's felt that since this happened. Maybe because he was moving and his mind wasn't focusing on the change or the difference his old life was to the life that awaits him after he turns.

When they entered the bar it was almost empty, which Jace liked. There were a few wolves, who turned the moment he and Luke came in, they seemed to notice who he was then sensed what happened to him because they stared until he and Luke sat down in a booth by the stage. There were also some Seelies, but they don't really care about downworld issues that don't concern them so they just continued to do their own thing ignoring them. Luke ordered them some burgers and drinks, Jace wasn't a lightweight but maybe Luke was right that he should stay sober for now.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" He asked him,

"I just wanted to see how you are?"

Jace shook his head, "it's fine. I'm getting there, accepting what happened but it hasn't really hit me yet."

"What about when your runes disappeared? Especially your..." Luke didn't have to finish his sentence. Jace knew what he was asking. Jace's hand automatically went to where his parabatai rune was, even though he was disconnected from Alec he could still feel him. All he wanted to do was go to the Institute last night and talk to Alec & Izzy. To make sure that they all know he was still here and himself. But he worries that when he sees Alec everything will just hit him again? And he can't let that happen yet. He needed to be focused on turning. That's what he was focusing on, once that thing was over he'll worry about everything else.

"Alec is okay, he's worried but I think going to Alicante will help him, until everything cools down. Have you decided on your living situation yet?"

"Yeah, I think I'm going to take my mom up on her offer. At least for a while maybe get a job or something. But I need a favor,"

Luke looked at him, which made Jace explain more. "She wants to force the Clave to allow me to stay in the Institute. Which we both know is impossible, and that the Clave won't let a downworlder—" the word still had an odd feeling in his mouth, "live inside its walls."

"I'll talk to her. But we should get you an apartment. The praetor can help with things like that. But it'll take a while usually, we can go to Jordan and have him directly ask his bosses. Also, do you feel like you need a praetor?"

"I'm not some mundane who's discovered the Shadow world on accident Luke. I'm fine without one. Plus I'm pretty sure Jordan has his hands full with Simon."

He appreciated the thought but the Praetor couldn't help him anymore than the pack or his family could.


End file.
